I am sick to my soul at the news that two pieces of vile, oppressive legislation from Texas and New York have been reinstated by the DC Court of Appeals. The notion that the abortion restrictions and "stop and frisk" being reinstated troubles me, but what troubles me more is that these decisions are being made by a court with vacancies that are being maintained for clearly partisan reasons.

The Republican Party in this country has outed itself as a group of "know nothing" ideologues whose sole purpose is to undo the legitimacy of the President. This strategy is based in the deep seated racism that is now clear as this hallmark of that party. You may disagree with my assessment of some of your colleagues, but that is the only conclusion I can reasonably determine from their actions. They have tried on stop every thing the President has tried to do for the country. They have undermined him at the expense of the safety of the nation. They have pandered to the sickest elements of racism and misogyny in American life.

Please, Senators, the courts have traditionally been the saving grace, the final protection for the disenfranchised. They need to be balanced, fair and accessible. The court vacancies, a continuation of the government shutdown, are another attempt to undo the democratic election of a president. It is seditious and unworthy of the oath of a United States Senator. This cannot stand. The women of Texas, the black and Latin people of New York need your courage. We are suffering, Senators. Please, act on our behalf.